Wire-stripping tool.



H. A. HORNOR.

WIRE STRIPPING TOOL.

APPLICATION FILED r55. 26., 191

Pat ented Dec. 21,1915.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY ARCHER HORNOR, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

WIRE-STRIPPING TOOL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 21, 1915.

Application filed February 26, 1913. Serial No. 750,868.

for the purpose of stripping insulation from the operator.

covered Wire or cables in order that proper couplings or connections of the same may be made.

In many tools designed for this purpose, it is the practice to hinge the carriers for the cutting or stripping elements and the wire support, and to depend upon pressure of the hands to hold these parts of the tool sufliciently close together to insure cutting of the insulation. In operating upon heavily I insulated wire cable having a metal shell or armor, such as'is employed at the present day, it is necessary to provide positive means for holding the cutter and a support in contact with the same in order that no slippage may occur between the parts, thereby insuring complete and proper cutting of the armor.

A further condition demands that the cut made shall only go through the outside armor; As made today, the insulated and armored cable carries first, the wires; then independent insulation surrounding each of the same; then a filling of non-conducting material to make a core for the reception of a tubular lead sheathing; then a wrapping of fabric over the lead sheathing tube, and finally a metallic armor made of woven or braided wire. In cutting this metal armor, it is quite essential that the cut does not extend through the lead sheath, and thetool is provided with means whereby the extent of cut may be limited or regulated.

These and other features of my invention are more fully described hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1, is a perspective view of one form of tool made in accordance with my invention, showing the same in the act of cutting longitudinally the insulation of a section of armored cable; Fig. 2, is a sectional view on the line 22, Fig. 1; Fig. 3, is a sectional view on the line 3-3, Fig. 1, and Figs. 4 and 5, are perspective views illustrating details of my invention.

In the drawings, 1 represents a head, and 2 a handle, which parts may be integral, or not, as may be desired from the standpoint of economical manufacture, and this head and handle are preferably connected together at an angle with respect to each other so that 1n the act of effecting a longitudinal cut of the cable armor, the said cable may be led through the head of the tool without danger of interference with the hands of The head is provided with a notch or recess 3 which may be half-round, as shown, through which the cable 4 may be passed, and movably mounted with respect to said head is a block 5, which block may have a V-shaped groove or notch 6 disposed opposite the notch or' recess 3 of the head, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, or it may be provided with a roller 7, suitably journaled in said block, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. This block is preferably adapted to slide in the head over a pair of stems 9 and 10, and it is adjustable with respect to said head so as to vary the size of the opening to accommodate difierent sized cables. One of these pins 10, is threaded for the reception of a thumb nut 11 to hold the block against the cable when the desired adjustment has been made. The head is slotted at 12 for passage of the block.

The head carries a pair of knives 15 and 16, relatively thin, which are pivotally mounted in the same, one of which knives extends in line with the axis of the opening formed by the head and the movable block, while the other lies at right angles thereto. The blade 15, in line with the handle of the tool may be'mounted on a pin 15 and is designed to effect a longitudinal cut in the wall or armor of the cable, while the blade 16 may be mounted on a pin 16 and is disposed at right angles to the blade 15. The cutting point of the blade 16 is substantially in line with the axis of the opening in the head whereby the armor may be engaged for the purpose of cutting the same circumferentially in order that am desired amount may be stripped from the cable, after the same has been slit by the blade 15. Either out, however, may be made first.

The head is provided with adjusting screws 17 and 18 adapted to engage the respective blades whereby the extent of projection of the same for engagement with thearmor may be accurately determined, so

cutting into the lead sheath. If desired, means may be provided in the form of second adjusting screws 17 and 18*, disposed on the opposite sides of the pivot pins 15 and 16, respectively, to hold the blades in their proper cutting position after they have been embedded in the armor preparatory to cutting the same.

As Will be manifest, the tool may be made in a numberof Ways, either by casting the head and handle in a single piece; the head being subsequently notched for the passage of the cable and slotted for the reception of the blades, and for the reception'of the block designed to adjust the aperture receiving the cable; or, if desired, the head may be cut from a block of steel and provided with a separate handle secured thereto by any suitable means. In some instances, it may be desirable to provide the handle with a hand-hold or grip to facilitate movement of the same with respect to the cable during the cutting operation.

The blades are preferably pivoted on fixed pins and are readily removable when worn, by slipping out the pins, and fresh blades may then be inserted.

I claim:

1. In a tool of the character described, a handle, a head carried thereby, a movable support carried'by said head and adjustable therein substantially at right angles to the handle to engage a Wire or cable, a pivotally mounted knife for cutting the insulation on the wire as the wire and support are moved longitudinally in relation to one another, means to adjust the position of said knife to regulate the extent of cut, and means for holding the support in its adjusted position.

2. In a tool of the character described, a head having a pair of .pins, a guiding support for the Wire mounted on said pins, one of which is threaded, a thumb nut in engagement therewith to hold the support in contact with the wire, a pivotally mounted knife carried by said support for engagement with the wire, and means for adjusting said knife to regulate the extent of cut made by the same. I

3. In a tool of the character described, a guiding support for the Wire, a handle carrying the same, a movable member carried by said support and engaging the wire, means for holding the same in contact with the wire, a pivoted knife carried by said support for engagement with the wire, and

-means for adjusting said knife to regulate the extent of cut made by the same.

4. The combination, in a tool of the character described, of a head having a notch therein to feceive insulated wire, a knife pivoted to said head, an adjustable block for holding the Wire in engagement with said knife to insure the cutting action, a, second pivoted knife set at right angles to the first, and means for adjusting said second knife.

5. The combination, in a tool of the character described, of a head having a notch therein to receive insulated wire, a knife pivoted to said head, an adjustable block for holding the Wire in engagement with the knife to insure the cutting action, a second pivoted knife set at right angles to the first,

means for adjusting said second knife, and means for locking both of said knives in their adjusted operable positions.

6. In a tool of the character described, the combination of a-handled support for the wire to be cut, a pair of pins carried by said support, adjustable means for holding the wire with respect to said handled support mounted on said pins, retaining means therefor carried by one ofsaid pins, and an adjustably pivoted knife for engagement with said wire.

7 In a tool of the character described, the combination of a handled support for the Wire to be cut, a pair of pins carried by said support, adjustable means for holding the Wire with respect to said handled support mounted on said pins, retaining means therefor carried by one of said pins, an adjustably pivoted knife for engagement with said Wire, and means for holding said knife in its. adjusted positions.

8. In a tool of the character described, the combination of a handled support for the wire to be cut, means for holding the same thereto, a pair of adjustably pivoted knives disposed at right an les to each other for engagement with said wire, and means for holding said knives in their adjusted poname to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY ARCHER IIORNOR.

Witnesses: 1

ARTHUR PARKER, L. D. NAUDAIN.- 

